Google Ads Quietly Rolls Out Merchant Center Video Support for Performance Max

Google Ads has quietly begun rolling out support for video assets from Google Merchant Center within Performance Max (PMax) campaigns, giving eCommerce advertisers greater creative control without a formal standalone announcement.

Rather than a headline launch, the feature has started appearing gradually in live advertiser accounts – signaling a phased rollout consistent with Google’s recent product update strategy. The change further strengthens the integration between Google Merchant Center and Google Ads, especially as Performance Max continues to serve as Google’s primary campaign type for retail advertisers.

What’s Changing in Performance Max Campaigns

With this update, merchants can now use video assets created or managed through Product Studio for Google Merchant Center directly within Performance Max campaigns. These videos can be AI-generated or merchant-supplied and are eligible for use across Performance Max placements, including YouTube, Discover, Display, and Gmail.

Previously, when advertisers did not provide video assets, Performance Max automatically generated videos using static product images. While effective in some cases, auto-generated videos offered limited control over branding, messaging, and visual quality.

The quiet rollout of Merchant Center video support allows advertisers to proactively shape how their products appear – without needing to upload or manage duplicate video assets inside Google Ads.

Why Google Is Rolling This Out Quietly

Google has increasingly adopted incremental feature releases rather than large public announcements, particularly for Performance Max updates that rely on automation and machine learning.

By quietly enabling Merchant Center video assets:

This approach aligns with how Google typically expands Performance Max capabilities—rolling out features gradually as they become stable across accounts.

Why This Matters for Merchants and Advertisers

Performance Max has replaced Smart Shopping and become the default campaign type for many retail advertisers. As outlined in Google Ads product updates and highlights, creative asset diversity plays a key role in how Performance Max optimizes delivery across Google-owned properties.

Video assets are particularly important because:

By enabling video assets from Merchant Center, Google is removing friction between product data management and ad creative execution, especially for merchants managing large catalogs or limited creative resources.

How Merchant Center Video Support Works

Once video assets are available in Merchant Center:

According to Google’s Performance Max campaign guidance, campaigns with stronger asset coverage are more likely to unlock additional inventory and benefit from improved optimization across channels.

While Google’s machine learning continues to determine placement and delivery, merchants now have more influence over creative quality and brand presentation.

Product Studio’s Expanding Role in Google Ads

The rollout further reinforces the growing importance of Product Studio for Google Merchant Center as a centralized creative hub for retail advertising.

Product Studio allows merchants to:

This update positions Merchant Center as the primary source of truth not only for product data, but also for creative assets used across Google Ads.

Early Signals From Advertiser Accounts

Advertisers and agencies have begun noticing Merchant Center-based videos being pulled into live Performance Max campaigns during December 2025, confirming that the rollout is active rather than theoretical.

Although Google has not published performance benchmarks, Google Ads guidance has consistently indicated that advertiser-provided creative assets outperform auto-generated alternatives, particularly for visually driven products and competitive Shopping categories.

Early observations suggest:

What Merchants Should Do Next

To take advantage of this update, merchants should:

Google’s guidance consistently reinforces that high-quality, relevant assets improve Performance Max performance over time.

By quietly rolling out Merchant Center video support for Performance Max, Google Ads is giving eCommerce advertisers more creative control while continuing its shift toward AI-driven, asset-based campaigns.

Merchants who proactively supply high-quality video assets through Merchant Center will be better positioned to compete across Google’s most valuable advertising placements in 2026—without waiting for a formal announcement.